The heck you doing? Come on.
Fly, fly, fly.
Oh, yeah.
Whoa.
Hey, Jimmy.
L-I want to invite you
to something.
It's tonight. It's only
a few blocks from here.
It's over on...
I can't even remember
my own street... sh*t!
Anyway, it's on the invitation.
- Yeah, for sure.
- Please, come.
- Yeah, for sure, for sure.
- Okay, cool.
- Salud.
- Have a good one.
See you.
It says, "You're invited
to Jimmy's FUN-eral."
Like a funeral, but it's fun.
Oh, good morning, Miss Winnie.
Is your mother home?
I don't care what Grandma said.
No. Can you please
put her on the phone?
Jimmy, I'm here.
Hi, Mom?
Oh, don't forget,
the gathering is tonight.
- Oh, that's tonight!
- Yeah, yeah.
That's actually perfect timing,
because Winnie's
goldfish just d*ed,
and she's asking
about mortality.
Get up, get up, Jimmy.
sh*t.
This is for Miss Winnie.
What does he have for you?
- For you, mademoiselle.
- A swan!
- What do you say to Jimmy?
- Thank you.
- Thank you, Jimmy, bye, Jimmy!
- Bye, Jimmy!
Sure, you can
call me an activist.
Call me what you will
if you need...
a caricature or whatever.
Hi. I'm Andrew.
I'm... I'm the writer.
An activist is a state of mind,
- isn't it?
- Okay.
How many times
do we have to go through this?
You know you can't go out alone.
I'm fine.
I just went next door
to give Winnie
a little something.
Karen wanted to have coffees.
Are you done?
Because I know you're lying.
Karen gave up coffee,
like, two years ago.
Well, it's never going
to happen again...
after tonight.
- No.
- Yes.
- No.
- Yes, yes.
It's time, it's... I'm ready.
You are the best caregiver
a fella could ever want to have.
- I'm so lucky to have you.
- Mm-hmm.
And I'll tell you something.
Ours is a strange
and wonderful relationship.
You're strange, I'm wonderful.
Um, I have your outfit,
but I actually am
digging this one.
- Why don't you wear this?
- No, no, no,
look at these eyes.
I need blue to bring them out.
Oh, my God. You're such a flirt.
Do you want me
to bring it to you?
Are you gonna wait here?
I'll bring it to you. Okay.
Oh, I totally thought
that you had gone and done it,
and I'd have to make
an announcement to everybody...
Hi.
Jimmy, right?
I'm Andrew.
So nice to finally meet you.
Hello, Andrew. May I help you?
I'm the writer.
I'm here to write
an article about you
and what you're doing.
Article. What article?
Um...
Gotcha! I'm just kidding.
I'm messing with you.
Come on in, I...
It's an Alzheimer's joke.
Stop doing that.
Why not? It's fun.
I... would do the same thing.
For you, good sir.
Thank you.
- Are you hungry?
- Sure.
Come in.
Very good.
Now, let's add it
to the rest of the sentences.
- You don't mind, do you?
- No, not at all. Take my soul.
- San Pedro cactus.
- Yes.
Delightfully phallic,
don't you think?
Uh, active compound is
mescaline.
"If the doors of perception
were cleansed,
"everything would appear
to man as it truly is...
infinite."
Oh, I don't do photos.
I'm-I'm sorry.
Buzz me if you need anything.
So, how many of these
have you done?
Well, I've done
a plethora of obituaries,
but you happen to be
my first pre-dead interview.
"Pre-dead."
What a way to put it.
Um, it's jargon
amongst obituary writers.
Rule of thumb,
factual over fancy.
I wouldn't think that of you,
though, your writing is
so... so elegant and thoughtful.
I'm honored.
And I have to thank you.
Because... Because of you,
I finally got
a feature approved.
You, this, is going to be
my first feature.
Well, this will be
my first death.
I would love to start
with word association.
Uh, I know it sounds childish,
but it could be
a fun icebreaker.
Love it. No problem.
- I'll say a word...
- Mm-hmm.
And... you just say
the first word
that comes to mind,
and that's where we'll begin.
Okay, sh**t.
Blanket.
Pigs.
Pigs in a blanket.
I...
I was thinking more of,
um, like a memory.
- Or a... life story.
- Oh, okay.
Right, I got it. Okay.
Before or after LSD.
- Let's start with before.
- Okay, before.
Pigs... blanket...
Oh, my God. I was ten years old,
and my kid brother used
my blanket as bait.
It's amazing how memory works.
Just like a moment
suspended in time.
Jimmy! Come here.
Come here!
Hey... stop!
No!
No!
How long were you in there for?
Oh, hours!
He was doing
a scientific experiment on me.
You, um... never
mentioned a brother.
Yeah, we don't get along.
Do you have any siblings?
- I have a sister.
- Ahh.
Well then, you know
what I'm talking about.
Yeah. I love her,
but we're quite different.
Mm. How so?
Well, I'm a minimalist,
and... she's pretty much
a hoarder.
You'd never believe
her collection
of porcelain ponies.
Sounds like my kind of woman.
Wow.
Wow.
So tell me,
on a scale of one to ten,
how much do I have
your sister b*at?
Well, she still wins,
but it's very impressive.
So, this is
your legitimate business?
You actually sell land
on the moon?
Oh, yes. No government can
claim ownership
of a celestial body,
but an individual can.
This is according
to the United Nations.
Space Treaty, by the way.
I figured,
"Hey, this is a loophole."
Now, what do you do
when you see a loophole?
Right? You jump through it.
That's exactly what I did.
What was your favorite thing
about the job?
Oh, I think selling hope.
Selling whimsy.
The idea there was something
greater than ourselves.
You know what I mean? I liked...
seeing people
feel like a kid again.
What-What is this thing?
Ah, yes.
This, my friend,
is a moon rock
from the Ocean of Storms,
a magma sea
a thousand miles wide
and hundreds of miles deep.
The theory is it used to be
part of a... a tiny moon,
a second moon that we had,
and they both collided,
thus forming
the Ocean of Storms.
Have a look.
How did you get a moon rock?
An astronaut gave it to me.
I'm not gonna say who.
Don't ask.
But if you turn it over,
you'll see he carved his name
on the bottom.
Welcome to dating
for anyone over 60.
Sharon promised
she'd get her CD out of here.
It's been stuck for months.
Well, she got roped into doing
the mission in Mexico,
- so maybe she forgot.
- Typical.
Nice gal,
but flighty as a flamingo.
That's what I admire
about you, Terry.
Your consistency, reliability.
That's why I felt compelled
to bring you
along with me today.
- There are...
- Flamingos fly?
Yes, Terry. Flamingos can fly.
Cool.
- This is a house call.
- Yes.
Oh, eh... um...
yeah, I... I thought we were
we weren't allowed
to do house calls
after what happened last time.
This isn't like last time.
Less public.
- Just you and me.
- Oh... oh, okay.
Yeah, yeah-yeah,
that-that makes sense.
You want to shut that curtain?
You'll get a kick out of this.
Do you have someone
that you want to impress
but don't want this reaction?
Is this
a sketch comedy thing?
It's an infomercial
for my business.
Totally out of this world.
Celestial real estate,
a cosmonaut's dream.
Oh, my stars.
Hi. I'm Jimmy,
owner of Lunatics,
your solar system's
friendliest celestial
real estate agency.
At Lunatics, we believe that...
space is for everyone.
- Even me?
- Oh, especially you, alien.
Well, that just makes me
wanna dance.
Well, go to it.
But wait, there's more.
Call back within
the next 15 minutes,
and we're going to send you,
free of charge,
your choice of one
of these three beautiful,
adorable Moonie Babies.
Wait, you created
the Moonie Babies?
Not to be confused
with the cult.
No.
My friend,
he-he had those growing up.
Oh, you know,
that was actually Tara's idea
before she became an escort
and got hit by a car.
Oh, my God.
An egg,
because in all actuality,
the moon is actually shaped
like an egg, even though
it looks round to us
down here on Earth.
- What?
- Lunatics!
So give Lunatics a call today,
because everybody's saying it.
Nothing could be greater
than to own a lunar crater.
That's right.
Give the present
that's literally
out of this multiverse.
I can't believe
you're the Moonie Baby man.
This is mental!
Which one did your friend have?
It was the, um... the one...
it's an alien, and it sh*t out
a puff of glitter.
- I wanted one so bad.
- Oh, no.
We had to discontinue
that one altogether.
Can't talk about it.
Legal reasons.
Smuggling, trafficking.
Yeah.
But before I was the moon man,
I was the music man.
Now that's Ricky
on the right.
The love of my life.
This is one
of our original sets.
Did you guys ever make it big?
No... you know,
a lot of our friends did.
Robin Williams, Letterman, Leno.
They're part of the 3% that
actually become superstars.
But we were part of the 20%.
We always worked.
So were you disappointed
that... that it didn't work out?
You know, I always thought that
we were like Michael Collins.
Nobody remembers who he was.
But he was the third astronaut
on the Apollo 11.
The ones that
people remember are...
Buzz and Armstrong.
So I think our careers were
kind of like him.
Just because we didn't make it
into becoming a household name
doesn't mean that we didn't earn
our place in the stars.
- This one right here?
- Yes.
Park here.
It's nice. A lot of succulents.
Yes.
Come, let us pray.
Yes.
Dear Heavenly Father,
please help us save
this man's soul today,
to guide him
from the choice of darkness
to the choice of light.
Picture this. It's 1969.
Over half a million people
are gathered
on the National Mall
in Washington D.C.
protesting the w*r in Vietnam.
Ricky and I,
we were on the main stage
with the cast of "HAIR."
Timothy Leary and Pete Seeger
was leading this massive crowd,
singing "Give Peace a Chance."
We were designated to go
to the side of the stage
and release
these beautiful white doves,
symbols of peace, into the air.
So we pick up the doves,
we toss them high into the air,
and their wings were frozen
with the cold weather.
So they just f*cking torpedoed
right into the crowd.
So we pick up a couple of more,
and we decide
to shake 'em up a little bit.
Warm 'em, kinda...
Come on, try again.
And we toss them up in the air,
and they try to fly,
and bam, bam!
Into the crowd again.
Oh, it was pitiful.
Do you have any allergies?
So, Ricky...
let's talk more about him.
When did you meet?
We met at the audition
for "HAIR."
He was ahead of me
in the audition line.
You do know the Broadway
rock musical "HAIR"?
That's the one about
naked hippies and hair, right?
Are you kidding?
No, it's so much more than that.
It was, like... it was,
like, about revolution.
Vietnam, classism,
activism, free love.
It was actually
a movement through art,
and we thought that
we were truly being heard,
and we were.
I'll tell you something.
Everybody wanted to be
a part of that show.
Ahh, terrific.
Another one.
You bring you own sheet music?
Great.
Get ready for a long wait.
Next!
It's like a little man
tickling me in my throat.
I'm so inspired
by these pagan, you know,
hermetic undertones
I'm picking up in the script.
Me-mo, me-mo, me-mo, me-mo,
me-mo, me-mo.
"Hey, friend. I see you there."
"Rose! I'm sorry."
Scene.
Um, can I get
your advice on something?
sh**t.
I'm thinking
about changing my stage name
to Ricko the Sicko.
What do you think?
I say... stick with Rick.
That's a tagline.
What did you bring in?
Oh, something.
Something?
Come on. We're here
to audition, so audition.
What show is that from?
It's just something I made up.
- You wrote that?
- Yeah.
We should collaborate.
You sing. I play.
We'll both dance!
Come on!
See? Perfecto! Keep going.
Ricko the Sicko? You're up.
Let's get coffee later.
Okay.
Love at first sight?
Hell, no.
All we wanted to do was f*ck.
And that's exactly
what we did at a sleazy hotel
down in the Lower East Side
in the Bowery.
Real flophouse.
Did he get the part?
- Who?
- Ricky.
Oh, I got the part.
He-He didn't, no.
I was... I could hear him
auditioning out in the hallway.
It was pathetic, he was...
He let his nerves get
the best of him.
I could hear him, he was going,
He was really, he was,
oh, he was very bad.
I felt sorry for him.
Is he still in your life?
No. We lost him
to the AIDS epidemic.
Are you wanting to ask me
if I have it?
- Yes.
- Well...
I've been HIV positive
for over 35 years,
and I've never had
an age-related illness.
Diligent with my meds,
don't eat red meat,
smoke my weed.
There's not much drama there,
I'm afraid.
Were you with Ricky
when he passed away?
You can say "d*ed."
"Passing away" always seems
such an odd way
to talk about death.
You pass someone
in the freeway, you...
you pass an exam, you pass gas.
"Passing away," that's too easy.
Were you with Ricky
when he d*ed?
Yeah, I was with him.
Just as you will be tonight
when I die.
You want me to be in the room?
Well, yeah, I mean,
that's the whole point
of you being here, isn't it?
You're... You're a part of this,
Unless you're uncomfortable
with it. I'd understand.
No, I... I can be there.
And here we go.
Oh! Did you paint this?
Really impressive.
Oil or acrylic?
Well, it's technically
mixed media.
I use some paint, collage,
um, and then even a little bit
of... um, melted wax
for preservation.
I love the fact that
you have me up in Heaven.
Yes... yeah, both of us
are in Heaven.
My only thing is
I wish that I had been
on the right side of our Lord
instead of on the left.
That's all!
You meant Jesus' right,
not our right.
- Yes.
- Oh, I see, I got confused.
- That's okay.
- Sorry, I-I-I...
I mean, I can
probably change it.
No, no-no-no,
don't worry about it.
What method did you choose?
The pills.
What, does that surprise you?
Oh, no, uh... it's just,
most people don't like
taking that many pills.
They didn't
know me in the 80's.
Any burial plans?
I'm not a fan of embalming.
Too many chemicals.
Cremation, that...
That pollutes the air.
I just opted for a good,
old-fashioned natural burial.
Help those plants grow.
Oh, I got...
I gotta go to the loo.
Yes, this poster will
work wonders
for the Lord... eh... oh!
Hi. Could you roll
your window down?
Would you mind
rolling your window down?
- Hi.
- Hi.
What you guys selling?
Oh, we're not selling anything.
Really? Because it looks like
you're "selling" something.
Oh, we're not...
- We're not selling...
- No-no-no, I...
I can handle this, Terry.
We're here to save a soul.
And we do it through
the word of God. Here.
Oh, do you have
any more of these?
- Yes.
- Okay.
Is that all you've got? Can I...
- Uh, well...
- I think that we might have...
No, no, Terry.
We have to conserve
some of these for our own use.
But we're pleased that you want
to spread the word of the Lord.
Amen. Yeah, you know what?
Trust me, I will spread these.
I really will.
- Yeah. Be well, sister.
- And be well, brother.
Spread 'em!
- Terry, do you have any more?
- Spread the word!
Spread it all over the place.
She's going
into that den of iniquity!
She's not gonna spread the word?
Resist! Resist!
- Put up your fists!
- Not till I say, Terry!
- Hi.
- Hi, Remy.
There are two gentlemen out
there ready to storm the gates.
Are you ready?
- Yes.
- Three, two, one.
Fight, fight!
Fight for your right to live!
Don't say bye. Do not die.
Fight, fight!
Fight for your right to live.
Don't say bye! Do not die!
Fight, fight!
Fight for your right to live.
Don't say bye! Do not die!
- Hi.
- Fight! Fight!
I'm Fritti Femmedoulla.
Ahh, hi. Andrew. Writer.
He's here to write about Jimmy
and... you know.
Don't say bye! Do not die!
Do you mind if I talk to you
inside for a second?
- Sure.
- Fight for your right to live!
- Don't say bye! Do not die!
- Those who cast stones.
Fight! Fight
for your right to live!
Don't say bye! Do not die!
What sort of things do
you write about?
Obituaries right now,
but Jimmy is gonna be
my first feature.
Oh, congratulations.
Although I've never heard
of press at a transition.
Oh, Jimmy reached out.
I guess he had seen my work.
I'm sorry. Fruity? Who are you?
Fight!
Fight for your right to live!
It's Fritti.
And I'm Jimmy's death doula.
- Doula?
- Death doula.
- Death doula?
- Death doula.
Yeah, it's sort of like
a midwife or a birthing coach
but for people who are dying
or choosing their own death.
I hold sacred space
and facilitate their transition
from life into death.
Don't say bye! Do not die!
Do you think
we should call the cops?
I think that would
kick it up a notch.
Jimmy, ahh,
man of all hours.
I see you met Andy.
Andy is doing a write-up on
how I'm going to die tonight.
Yes, I met Andrew.
I have to admit,
he's a sprinkle of a surprise
that I haven't processed.
You know what? I take that back.
It's not about me.
This is about Jimmy...
and his celebration.
I'm still trying
to process it anyway,
I don't know why,
just... you know what, I...
I'm gonna just release,
I'm gonna release it right now.
to live! Don't say bye!
Do not die! Fight! Fight!
Fight for your right to live!
Don't say bye! Do not die!
Fight! Fight!
Fight for your right to live!
- Don't say bye!
- I'm released.
Still think
we should call the cops?
Fight for your right to live!
Save your soul,
or you'll burn in a hole!
Save your soul, or you'll
burn in a hole!
Trust in the Lord,
don't fall on your sword!
Trust in the Lord, don't fall
on your sword!
- Stop, Terry!
- Sorry.
I'm trying to get
their attention!
I know, Terry. I know.
Just come inside.
Oh, okay, sorry.
Sorry... hold on.
Stick to the script...
that we practiced, all right?
I think
they are harmless.
How did they even find you?
- I invited them.
- You what?
Oh, my God!
You are such a revolutionary.
Well, what's a good story
without a little conflict?
Right, Andy?
Fabulous. Now we have
to listen to this all day.
k*ll thyself!
- Is that Carlos?
- That's him.
Thou shalt not k*ll thyself!
Yo!
What's going on, man? What are
you guys doing over here?
Good afternoon, good sir.
We're here on a mission.
I don't care what you're on.
You're being too loud.
Well, we're not here
to disturb you.
Well, you are... matter of fact,
you're disturbing
the whole damn neighborhood.
Oh, he's getting mad.
He's gonna...
Honesty is the foundation
of a strong community.
Whatever, man.
Just keep it down. All right?
What is that?
Looks like a...
- Jesus poster.
- Oh, no.
So what do we do now?
It's been my experience,
as a man of the cloth,
that God will
often open a window
where you didn't even
see a wall.
Now, here's a little game
I like to play called.
"Observe and Report."
Okay? It's right up
your alley, Andrew.
Spoiler alert:
It's about observing.
Yes, yes, we-we walk around...
the... the... the bottle.
- Backyard.
- The-The-The...
- Backyard.
- It's the backyard.
We walk around the backyard.
Thank you.
Um, and there's no talking,
and-and you don't take photos.
We just observe and-and listen.
Be present, yeah?
Now we report.
We share our experiences
with each other.
Andrew, why don't you start?
I enjoyed finding
the treehouse.
I think observing
everyone else observe,
that was probably
my favorite part.
Fritti?
Bees and...
ah, the fruit trees
and the vines.
I mean, they were so...
majestically coiled
around one another.
That's the perfect metaphor
for life.
The struggle against oneself,
the struggle against
one's own human nature.
Remy?
I listened...
and heard dogs barking.
Fritti howling.
Ice cream trucks,
and lots of airplanes.
Oh, yes, the symphony
of our neighborhood.
How about you, Jimmy?
I saw...
love.
Terry...
I want to read you something.
Fall is no color.
Little pebbles in river.
Can you see me now?
That's beautiful!
- What's that from?
- It's from me, Terry.
I write haikus every Saturday
after my bridge game
at 6:00 p.m.
Of course,
you're welcome to join.
Oh, that's when I do my pilates.
What does it entail?
You know, ahh,
every doula is different,
just like every death is
different.
But if you have
a responsible death,
and plan a responsible death,
like Jimmy has,
then here's how I would help.
The arrangement of stuff.
I support the transitioner
in deciding what happens
to their material accumulations
they've gathered
throughout life.
Some of them go to family,
some to friends,
some to donation.
I assist the family
with the arrangements
and make sure
nothing is fought over.
I maintain the vision
of what the transitioner
wanted for themselves.
I help curate
the space of ascension.
It could be classical music
accompanied by a p*rn video
or someone who wants
to take acid while listening
to a presidential speech
of choice.
- Ask what you can do...
- The departure.
Being present
in the final moments,
making sure
they don't feel alone
as they leave this world.
Which is why I tell people,
"Embrace your mortal fate
"and make your decision now.
Otherwise someone will
make it for you."
Oh, that neighbor's leaving.
The one with all the...
The art on his head.
As always, God performs
another miracle.
I'd love it if my ashes were,
like, intertwined with roots,
and I just, like,
grow into a tree.
I dunno. What about you?
How would you want to go out?
I'm having a biodegradable
uterus made.
I want to be
stuffed back into it.
I want to go out like I came in.
James,
I know you can hear me!
This comes from a place of love.
So, for the sake
of your soul, James...
please listen
to the word of God.
And may the God of hope...
fill you with peace
and love and believing,
that you may abound in hope
through the power
of the Holy Spirit.
Terry, do you have something
you want to say?
Uh... yeah.
We do not do the things
we do because we want to!
We are given opportunities
to prove that we deserve
more chances!
God wants us to prove to him
that we will not fail,
so don't fail!
Hey, man! Hey, man.
- What did I tell you?
- Sir, I understand.
We're here trying
to save someone.
It's your ass that's gonna
need saving if you don't
get off my block!
I already warned you, man.
- No.
- Excuse me?
- I said no.
- Man, give me that!
Let go! Let go! Please don't!
No! This is... This is
all part of the Lord's work!
- Church property!
- No! No!
How do you like it?
That was my trophy, you assh*le!
I'd be very scared
of Carlos right about now.
I'd be scared of Flora.
Gosh! Gosh! Golly! Golly!
Oh! Oh, dear!
Move it!
Son of a g*n.
Who are you texting?
I'm just updating my editor.
Bet those protesters
kicked things up a notch?
What's important is
representing Jimmy
the right way...
What he's doing today.
Hmm, it's tricky, isn't it?
Benefiting from someone's death.
What?
I'm a paid caretaker.
You're here as a journalist.
It's... It's hard
to find a balance
between work
and not getting attached.
Especially with
someone like Jimmy.
He's... He is so...
Yeah, I know.
Why are you learning Japanese?
My next patient is Japanese,
so I figured
I should start practicing
since I'm gonna be with her
once Jimmy goes.
- That's exemplary.
- No, I'm just doing my job.
- What does that mean?
- "Are you comfortable?"
Has anything come up
since our last discussion?
No, nothing.
Okay. And you still want
to transition in this room?
Oh, yes, yes.
Yes to the room.
But you know what?
I'd like to sit in that chair.
That's my favorite chair.
Rather than laying down.
And... oh, and I'd like you
to be on my right side.
- Okay... okay.
- Yeah.
And what about the writer?
Do you want him in the room?
Do you want him to take
pictures? I mean,
he brings a whole new energy
to all of this.
Oh, I'd like him to be
a part of it. Absolutely.
I'd like him to witness it.
But only one picture.
His choice, when...
When he wants to do it.
Okay.
You know, there's gonna be
a lot of people
at this celebration of yours,
so I've devised...
a method of letting me know
when it's time.
Okay. Just do this.
And that means,
"Fritti, meet me
in the moon room
for final liftoff."
That is so appropriate.
I love it.
Yeah.
I went with Jimmy
to pick up the prescription.
I couldn't believe it
when the pharmacist
just handed it over
like it was nothing.
"I'd like milk, bread,
and death, please."
"Paper or plastic?"
It was so menial.
I think we all want death to be
grander than it really is.
When a person prepares to die...
there's a weight.
All around, it's heavy.
Like a big stone.
And then they take
the tiniest, smallest thing.
And they're gone.
But that weight...
That weight isn't.
I just wish it was
more balanced.
You can put that weight down.
That big stone, you don't have
to carry it all the time.
For someone who's smart,
you sounded really dumb.
You can't undo
what you experience.
"Put the weight down."
Right on time.
How you do anything...
is how you do everything.
And who would you be
if you let all that go?
Your grasping,
your planning,
your self-identification.
Everything you carry.
Let it all go.
So, how will you...
There's only one person I know
that reeks of cherry tobacco.
Slick!
You said you weren't coming.
I was summoned.
Oh, you are too good.
I know.
Oh, sh*t.
I can't remember it anymore.
It's been so long.
Thank you. Thank you.
I haven't heard you sing
since... Freddy's funeral.
Oh, has it been that long?
It's been that long.
Remember that you got
so drunk that you kept on
hitting on my cousin...
I kept telling you
that he wasn't gay.
Then I found out he was gay,
and I slept with him.
How far back do you two go?
Oh, my God, what... 1956?
Who knows? The decades are
looser than my dentures.
These kids were
chasing him after school,
and we took pity on him.
And one day we decided
to get him high after school.
He got so high!
We was walking
past this jazz group
that was sitting
underneath the marquee
- at the Apollo Theater.
- Apollo Theater.
And he just jumped right in.
Started burpin'.
Hey, tell him
about the 4th of July.
You would bring that up.
Fourth of July.
That was the summer of...
Boobs!
- She is so fine.
- She's all right.
All right? Rita's a ten. Look!
- Look!
- They're just boobs.
Just boobs? Get with it!
Oh, my God.
She's amazing. She really is.
Rita's so sexy.
Oh, I'm just gonna...
I'm gonna do so many...
You can't tell anybody
about that, okay?
'Cause it's never
gonna happen again.
But he did tell,
- and my mama found out.
- No, I didn't.
Then how come
I got my ass whooped?
And that was the only time
that that ever happened.
Well, it's never too late.
Do you think
she did it on purpose?
- Who?
- Rita.
Remember Rita?
Tell them about the 4th of July.
Just say it again.
It's okay, yeah.
Rita...
she was
the most beautiful woman.
We cannot have
a wildfire, Terry.
But-But-But she ruined
my self-expression!
No-No-No, you cannot
point your finger
at a young girl
who doesn't know any better.
You do, Terry. You know better.
This is not godly.
Yeah, well...
giving up on your own flesh
and blood isn't godly either.
Excuse me?
That's your brother.
I'm not stupid.
I mean, I came here
on my day off,
and you didn't even have
the decency to tell me
that we're protesting
your own brother.
It... this isn't a church call.
It's your call.
And I bet you didn't even
get permission
- to use the Jesus van!
- Well, I...
I didn't wanna tell you because
I knew you would do this.
You get overly sensitive.
Just park.
I'm sorry. I ruin everything.
I don't have any siblings.
But if I did,
I don't think
I'd protest against them.
Well, I do have a sibling,
and sometimes you need
to do something
to get their attention.
Let's go back.
It's his funeral day.
What would Jesus do...
if he had a brother?
W-W-J-D-l-H-H-A-B.
"Wwjdihhab."
So Andrew,
writing obituaries.
Is that what you want to do
with your life?
It sounds dark.
That's a general misconception.
How a person d*ed is
just one sentence.
How a person lived,
that's all the rest.
And it helps
the grieving find closure.
That's exactly right.
I thought about traveling
to nursing homes,
maybe helping the elderly
write their own obituaries.
It just seems kind of m...
What's the word?
It begins with an "m."
So you wanna be
the rockstar of nursing...
Aloha! I'm here!
- Gasp.
- We are here.
Smashing, Daddy!
- I came early.
- That's what he said.
- Remember Knox?
- Hi, Jimmy.
Oh, hi.
They're gonna perform
at the party tonight.
I cannot wait
to show you the routine.
Are these our first guests?
Wait, I know you.
Come here, woman.
Hi, Juana.
Juana, you look fabulous.
We met
on the bus, remember?
- Singing?
- I don't remember.
We used to perform on buses.
You know, like how they do
in New York City on the subway?
- No one would even look at...
- It's right on the tip...
- giving us life!
- My tongue.
I'm Juana... Juana Bang?
I'll be hosting
the "FUN-eral" tonight.
- "FUN-eral?"
- It begins with an "M."
Yeah, you know,
like "funeral."
Mango? Mint? Micro-organism?
- Excuse me.
- Can we help you?
- James?
- Why are you here?
Because he's Jimmy's brother.
Your own family
was protesting you?
I can ask him
to leave if you want.
I want to talk
with you alone.
- I'm fine with dying...
- So nice that...
Aah! Don't touch me!
No, no...
- I understand.
- It's the volume of...
I have a great idea.
Let's get ready for your party.
- How does that sound?
- Yeah.
- Yeah?
- Yeah, yeah.
- Good, let's go, okay?
- Okay.
I got you.
- Where are we going?
- We're going upstairs.
Upstairs?
With the volumes of my father...
Stay... stay.
Stay... stay.
Stay.
No, no, it's the end.
Okay. Chop chop, people!
We have got a party to conjure.
Come on, Knox. Let's go.
We've got costumes over here.
Let's do it.
Does this happen often?
I know it's upsetting
to see him like this,
but he'll be back online soon.
Online?
Like he's a computer?
Why don't we wait
in this room?
He just needs a little space.
Fine.
Astronauts say that...
moon dust...
smells like g*n powder.
Are you a high priestess?
I'm Jimmy's death doula.
I'm here to guide his soul
into the afterlife
using the Tibetan
Book of the Dead.
Whoa...
You ever heard
of the Book of the Dead?
- No? Bardos?
- No.
According to the ancient
Tibetan Book of the Dead,
a person's soul lingers
between death and the afterlife
for 49 days in these realms
called the Bardos.
Realms, in which the dead
still hear the living.
Somebody order a man?!
Then I have to help them
swerve past all these, like,
infinite distractions
all over the place
so their soul doesn't get
sucked down into the...
The bowels of the Bardos.
Well?
I thought it was supposed
to be a coffin.
It's a throne shaped
like a coffin.
- It looks like a bookshelf.
- Well, I'm not a carpenter.
At least one of us is
good at crafts.
Jesus!
And the goal for the dead is
the same as the living.
Reaching nirvana.
I love Nirvana... ooh!
- Sorry, girl!
- Oh, sorry, um...
Also, I noticed this canvas
needs a little...
Oh! Aah!
- Sparkle.
- Oh, I don't know
- if that will fit.
- Don't doubt me.
- Arm? Arm.
- Okay.
Give me a twirl.
- Okay.
- Oh... beautiful.
And look how you shine.
- Oh, wow.
- My work is done.
Off to add more sparkles.
Cheer-toodles.
Where's your sparkle?
- It's right here.
- Oh, okay.
On the inside.
Do you think
Pepper went to hell?
- Pepper?
- Pepper, our dog.
We assisted in her death,
remember?
Do you think she went to hell?
I-I mean, just because
it's so odd that we do that
for our pets, but we...
We don't do it for ourselves.
su1c1de doesn't end your pain.
It merely gives it
to someone else.
When our mother was sick,
she had the courage to face it.
Oh, stop trying to save me
just because
you couldn't save Mom.
But you can be saved.
She didn't have a choice.
My faith prohibits me
from standing by
and watching you do this.
And I don't want
to lose my brother
for all eternity
if I don't have to.
I don't want to be a burden.
I don't want to be shipped off
to one of those warehouses.
That's exactly
what you'd do if I know you.
Yeah, they're called
"nursing homes."
Oh, yeah.
Nursing you to death.
- Stop making light of it.
- Oh, it is light.
My whole body is
just a flesh suit, Gordon.
It's my thoughts.
It's my personality.
That's what I live for.
If I can't be me and, I mean,
everything that that means,
I just don't want to be.
Any...
legal matters
we need to discuss?
Like with that "Lunatic" thing?
It's "Lunartics."
Yeah, right. Right.
Advanced directive? Your will?
Power of attorney?
I am your next of kin.
Of course, but it's
all been taken care of.
Remy, my wonderful caregiver,
knows exactly what to do.
Look, Gordon... all I wanted
was for you to be here,
and you are.
Aloha!
Oh, looks like you're having
a... little moment here.
Okay, listen, I would hate
to interrupt, but...
I'm gonna.
Now listen, I fully support
whatever emotional breakthrough
is happening here,
but, Jimmy, I cannot support you
meeting the Angel of Death
looking like this.
But don't you worry,
estranged brother.
I can style you too.
Here. This is my Puritan hat.
Put it on like that.
It's from my original
production,
"Deflower on the Mayflower."
Is it too on the nose?
I'm going downstairs.
But I thought we could
all get ready together!
The look I'm going for is
"vulnerable widow
"who seduced the grave digger
and she's taking him
to the disco."
Jeez, what's up his butthole?
Promise.
I love you too so much.
So, so much.
Okay, I'll see you soon, mwah.
People think that Napoleon was
short, but he really wasn't.
Right. He was 5'6".
Yeah. He didn't have
a complex at all.
Did you know
he wrote a romance novel?
Yes, "Clisson et Eugnie."
- I read it two summers ago.
- Aah! Me too!
- It was so good.
- I know.
What do you think it's like?
- What?
- Dying.
Are you afraid of dying, honey?
No... well, not so much now.
I-I've come to terms with it
because I know more about
what's going to happen.
I made that decision.
I don't have to worry about
when it's going
to happen or how.
Well, I used to be
afraid of death,
until my grandmother passed.
I was actually in the room
when they pulled the plug.
The doctor warned us that,
when the body's shutting down,
it can make funny sounds.
And when all this air was
leaving the body,
it was, like, yawns and farts.
We were all trying not to laugh,
just trying to, you know,
maintain this air of grieving,
because my grandmother,
Esperanza, she was so proper.
She would have been mortified.
But it brought us so much joy.
Because it was like she was
making a joke of it all.
Oh, sh*t. I got my paint
all over you.
That's all right. Leave it.
It's bait for more.
Okay, Sentimental Sally,
be gone.
Yes.
- We have to get you ready!
- Absolutely.
Your guests should be
arriving any moment.
Okay.
Hey. Hi. Did we get it?
Hey! I just got out.
I hate to be the bearer
of bad news,
but the publisher thinks
an assisted su1c1de piece
won't sit well with our readers.
Yeah, but that's not what it is.
I'm sorry, man.
I mean, I fought, believe me.
They say they want controversy,
but, you know, they want...
They want safe controversy.
So, what?
It's not the front page.
They k*lled the story.
Completely?
The subject matter is
just too sensitive.
- Let me talk to her.
- She's done for today.
I mean, everyone is.
They're gonna give you
the 1500-word wedding expo.
That's a big bump up,
just look on the bright side.
God... dammit.
It's the end.
The end.
Who gives you the right?
Who made you God?
What gives you the right?
The end.
Who gave you the right?
Who made you God?
Who are... who are you?
Who made you God?
Who made you...
Who made you...
What if the pills don't work?
What if you go brain dead?
Brain dead... brain dead...
Jimmy. Jimmy, my boy.
Listen to me, huh?
You don't want to do this.
This is not a good thing.
You'll never see anybody
you ever loved ever again.
If you do this, it's over.
Don't do it.
I do not choose fear.
I do not choose fear.
I do not choose fear
for this experience!
No!
What are you yelling about?
Oh... oh, sweetie.
Oh, no. It's okay.
Uh, I'm just being
a scared old man.
Do you ever get scared?
Yeah, I'm scared
of roller coasters,
but my mom says
I don't have to go on them
if I don't want to.
Well, you know what?
That's very good advice.
DJ, start the music!
Life.
It's funny, you know?
Waking up day after day.
Sometimes you just got to say,
"Hey, give it a rest, will you?"
But we go on,
persevering
through the nights...
...the frights...
the mites,
until we... die!
Girl,
he's had enough of this world.
I said, girl, he's had
enough of this world.
It's Jimmy!
Jimmy!
Oh, my God, I love Jimmy!
Jimmy! Come on up!
it's Jimmy!
She spread them.
Just like she said she would.
Well, that f*cking happened.
Oh, welcome, my friends.
It's so good to see you here.
I can't believe
you all showed up.
I want to thank you
from the heart of...
The heart of my bottom.
But you know what I mean.
You know what?
I've always thought
it's the dumbest thing
that people miss
the one party
where everybody gets up
and says how great they are.
Thank you for being
part of my life,
and now part of my death.
Would somebody please
come up here
and start praising me?
Wow.
You still got
those moves, man. God damn!
But here's a toast
to all the auditions
that you never booked.
- Salud.
- Salud!
Hi, everyone. I'm Ricki Lake,
and this is
my better half, Mama.
I happen to be
really good friends with Jimmy.
We go way back. We actually
met on a cruise ship.
I first met Jimmy
at a space convention in Moscow.
He was the keynote speaker.
I'm Jimmy's mail lady.
I bring him his mail.
I met Jimmy at a seafood buffet.
Met him at an AIDS fundraiser.
Jimmy said he's looking
for personal trainer
while in Russia,
and he's willing to pay me.
I lived with Jimmy for a year
as his foreign exchange student.
Jimmy has been coming
to my market
for many, many years.
Jimmy and I were cellmates.
We met Jimmy, um, at an eclipse.
- And at totality...
- Mm-hmm.
He was wolf howling.
Which got us started
in wolf howling as well.
We just joined
right up with him.
The next time I saw him,
he was butt naked,
writhing around
in a pile of oil-soaked,
wiggling bodies,
which looked a lot like
a giant human mac 'n' cheese.
I was on my way
back to the hotel room
when I heard this voice
around the corner...
and there at the piano,
with the lobby pianist,
was Jimmy.
And I knew...
that we would make an EP.
If I got in a fight at school,
I broke a desk on accident,
the teachers would say, "Well,
what do you expect? He's huge."
We bonded instantly,
as we were high on psilocybin.
Got into those crab cakes, too.
Jimmy taught me that huge boys
have to have huge hearts,
and I've been using
mine ever since.
He also taught me
about microdosing
and the...
the art of respecting
psychedelics.
And he also knitted me
this sweater.
I was the first American
cruise director in Russia,
and Ricki was a passenger.
Yeah, Jimmy was
so fascinating to me,
I had to have him on my show.
You were on one of the most
epic shows we ever did.
It was titled
"You Have Naked Photos of Me,
and I Want Them Back Now."
Yeah, and I didn't want
to give them back because...
- No, you did not.
- I used them every night.
I can't blame you.
He punched somebody
in the face for me.
He barely knew me.
Because of him,
I moved to America
and started business.
I met nice American woman,
and I named my child
"Uncle Jimmy."
- We have to leave early.
- Yeah, we can't miss
the leaves change.
You know how it is, Jimmy.
Well, you know how magical
Sorenson's Resort is.
Something special.
And we took you there
for your birthday, remember?
The Hot Chocolate
Incident.
My mouth has
- never recovered.
- Oh, man.
I'm still not sure
why he was there.
He was mysterious about it.
Something to do
with Moonie Babies?
People make up
all types of things in prison.
All of this reminds me
of this old Persian poem
about human life
being like a bird
in a beautiful glass cage.
And the cage is
covered in emeralds
and gold and diamonds
and silver.
He... he...
he got me reading Ram Dass.
Changed my life.
And eventually
the cage falls and breaks,
and everybody cries
about the cage,
but nobody thinks
about the bird,
which is now free,
and I admire Jimmy
for breaking the cage himself.
I've had the privilege
to know Jimmy, as we all have.
And he's had the privilege
to have gotten this far.
Many people don't.
You're great.
Jimmy is great, of course.
We're all f*cking great.
Here's to the space community
that never took you serious.
- L'Chaim!
- L'Chaim!
This dance is in honor
of all the years
you've journeyed
and the moments that you've
carved into this world.
"Count Snitz Goes
to the Moon"...
But I will miss you, Jimmy.
And here's to all the people...
who misunderstood you.
- Cheers.
- Cheers!
Do you have any regrets?
Actually, I do regret
that I never got
to finish my memoir.
But I've been given the gift
of my new friend, Andrew,
who will.
Andy, come on up here.
Yeah, he's shy...
Give him a hand.
Come on, get up here. Come on.
My new best friend, Andy.
Come on up here. Give him
a little encouragement.
This is Andrew.
He's an excellent writer.
He's gonna make me immortal.
Do you want to say something?
- Oh, no.
- Well, that's okay.
I have prepared
a question for you.
What is it like
to have Alzheimer's?
What is what like?
Oh, what is it like
to have Alzheimer's, um,
what does Alzheimer's feel like?
Okay, imagine a filing cabinet.
A pristine, organized
filing cabinet.
Each drawer is filled
with your memories.
Your first kiss,
playing make-believe as a child.
Your brother, your mother,
your friend,
the trips you've taken,
songs you've sung.
This life. Your life.
Then one day,
the files are out of order.
You're talking about
the town you grew up in,
but you can't remember the name.
Then you do remember,
but it's the wrong town.
You're confused.
You get paranoid.
Then for a few days,
you're totally fine.
Then more files
disappear, then a...
Then a whole drawer gets stuck.
You know you are
a human in a body,
but you don't know who you
or any of your loved ones are.
That's why I've decided
to do this now.
Before all the drawers are gone.
Before there isn't even
a filing cabinet left.
I love you all.
This one is for you.
So we wrote this,
this is all true.
I hope you enjoy.
Salve... Yemanja.
Oh, Andy, I got
a going-away present for you.
Open that trunk.
Salve, Yemanja.
Her secret oceans and seas.
Salve.
Forever clean. Forever pure.
Forever more. Salve.
They dropped the story.
One minute they wanted it
for the cover,
and the next,
it was too controversial.
I don't know...
what I should have
done different.
How do you feel?
Like sh*t.
Good.
Well, go take care of that sh*t.
Write it anyway.
Write about...
everything and everybody.
All of what happened today.
The story will find its way.
Have some pudding?
I'll pass.
You've shown me
what kind of death
I could have.
That's better
than telling someone
what kind of life
they could live.
Remember, you are infinite.
Listen for the bell.
Let's begin.
Remember the clear light.
The pure, clear white light
from which everything
in the universe comes.
To which everything
in the universe returns.
The original nature
of your own mind.
The natural state
of the universe manifest.
Let go into the clear light.
Trust it. Merge with it.
It is your own true nature.
It is... home.
We wrote a series of songs.
And then at the end
of the songwriting pass...
By the way, Rick is primarily
the composer of these songs.
I'm, like, always around with...
I suffer through
the relationships
- for the sake of art.
- Yeah.
It's like, uh, with...
I... I listen to him
start writing them,
and then I add my 20 cents,
and it goes like that,
you know, but, um,
these songs kind of
connected together
after the fact, and, uh,
so we thought we'd put 'em
together and kind of
show you a little bit about
the kind of songs that we like
and the kind of songs
that we write.
This first one is
kind of an up tune,
and it's...
it's the boy and the girl
maybe meeting each other
for the first time.
A young man, a young woman,
the middle-aged men,
the middle-aged women,
the old men, the old women,
it doesn't matter,
it always is the same.
"Going Home to Moon Manor."
"How one man's death
gave another man life."
This sh*t better
be good, Andrew.
Moon Manor (2022)
Moderator: Maskath3